REVIEWS

Saudi Arabia has notoriety for its extremely hot weather in its desert sands. However, it is a pleasant surprise to be on Jeddah’s coastline facing the sea. It is a refreshing respite for a man drenched in heat.

Along this long Corniche coast is Costa Coffee. Found in a row of restaurants and cafes near known hotels, it sits across the coast, a few meters from the Red Sea.I have visited Costa Coffee a few times to spend my late afternoons.

Once I had its Low-fat Apple-Cinnamon and Seeds Muffin [SAR12] and Coffee Mocha Frescato [SAR16/SAR18/SAR20] for my afternoon snack.

The Low-fat Apple-Cinnamon and Seeds Muffin is a healthy choice for people cutting their Calorie intake. Topped with toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds, it is like a modern muffin baked by grandma. It tastes simple and sweet, not decadent that compels one to drink water after a bite to wash away the lingering sweetness. In fact, it has a pleasant cinnamon taste. After a bite, one can see cinnamon freckles, apple bits, and seeds inside.

Its Mocha Frescato is crushed ice blended mocha, a cold companion to a balmy summer afternoon. Though not as much as I expected, I nonetheless could taste its milk’s creamy goodness.

Both sweet, the muffin and the frescato cancelled each otherâ€™s sweetness. I recommend to have the classic Iced Americano [SAR12/SAR/14/SAR16] paired with the muffin to appreciate the subtle sweetness of the latter. However, I prefer to drink my Iced Americano without sugar and further savor the bitter coffee becoming sweet as I eat the muffin.

Lazy afternoons are good to kill just staying in front of Costa Coffee seeing the Red Sea across. Watching the sunset here can be very astonishing. One can have an unobtrusive view of the sun being engulfed by the Red Sea. Seeing the sun’s red...

as it sinks on the sea’s horizon is a wonder, especially on a day of reflection with a sip of coffee or tea.

Inside, tables are closely placed together. Thus, the dining space can be a bit cramped, especially if patrons fill the place at peak hours. Chatter of customers on nearby tables can be distracting during this time. Complimentary newspapers in English and Arabic are available. I did not see magazines though. It can be good to flip through pages while sipping coffee or tea and even staying with friends as one waits for the sunset.

The cooler weather in the later part of the year up to the early part of the next is an advantageous time to have coffee al fresco. Free from ramblings of Costa customers inside, one can appreciate the seaside breeze more. One can try its Mango Fruit Cooler [SAR15/SAR17/SAR19] while watching the sunset outside. It is a tangy tropical smoothie, but I find it very sweet; recommended for oneâ€™s sweet tooth. The fruit cooler gives a beach-feel into the experience. One should not forget his beach sunglasses. The experience is even matched with big parasols of cream and burgundy while one stays at its tables outside.

Apt to its name, Costa Coffee is the coffee on the Corniche coast.

[Note: Coast is costa in Spanish]

Saudi Arabia has notoriety for its extremely hot weather in its desert sands. However, it is a pleasant surprise to be on Jeddah’s coastline facing the sea. It is a refreshing respite for a man drenched in heat.

Along this long Corniche coast is Costa Coffee. Found in a row of restaurants and cafes near known hotels, it sits across the coast, a few meters from the Red Sea.I have visited Costa Coffee a few times to spend my late afternoons.

Once I had its Low-fat Apple-Cinnamon and Seeds Muffin [SAR12] and Coffee Mocha Frescato [SAR16/SAR18/SAR20] for my afternoon snack.

The Low-fat Apple-Cinnamon and Seeds Muffin is a healthy choice for people cutting their Calorie intake. Topped with toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds, it is like a modern muffin baked by grandma. It tastes simple and sweet, not decadent that compels one to drink water after a bite to wash away the lingering sweetness. In fact, it has a pleasant cinnamon taste. After a bite, one can see cinnamon freckles, apple bits, and seeds inside.

Its Mocha Frescato is crushed ice blended mocha, a cold companion to a balmy summer afternoon. Though not as much as I expected, I nonetheless could taste its milk’s creamy goodness.

Both sweet, the muffin and the frescato cancelled each otherâ€™s sweetness. I recommend to have the classic Iced Americano [SAR12/SAR/14/SAR16] paired with the muffin to appreciate the subtle sweetness of the latter. However, I prefer to drink my Iced Americano without sugar and further savor the bitter coffee becoming sweet as I eat the muffin.

Lazy afternoons are good to kill just staying in front of Costa Coffee seeing the Red Sea across. Watching the sunset here can be very astonishing. One can have an unobtrusive view of the sun being engulfed by the Red Sea. Seeing the sun’s red blush as it sinks on the sea’s horizon is a wonder, especially on a day of reflection with a sip of coffee or tea.

Inside, tables are closely placed together. Thus, the dining space can be a bit cramped, especially if patrons fill the place at peak hours. Chatter of customers on nearby tables can be distracting during this time. Complimentary newspapers in English and Arabic are available. I did not see magazines though. It can be good to flip through pages while sipping coffee or tea and even staying with friends as one waits for the sunset.

The cooler weather in the later part of the year up to the early part of the next is an advantageous time to have coffee al fresco. Free from ramblings of Costa customers inside, one can appreciate the seaside breeze more. One can try its Mango Fruit Cooler [SAR15/SAR17/SAR19] while watching the sunset outside. It is a tangy tropical smoothie, but I find it very sweet; recommended for oneâ€™s sweet tooth. The fruit cooler gives a beach-feel into the experience. One should not forget his beach sunglasses. The experience is even matched with big parasols of cream and burgundy while one stays at its tables outside.